The Art of Packaging: Tigra Cigarettes

I would start smoking all over again if I could get my hands on a pack of Tigra Cigarettes. Look at this packaging, sexy, cute, funny, clever, great use of color and font – everything a cigarette pack should be. This is no Joe Camel bullshit, this is Tigra! Based in Belgium in the 50’s and 60’s Tigras were hugely popular and the Tigra Girl became an Icon.

Antwerp based Angelina Saey was a successful model in the early fifties and was picked from hundreds to be the face of the brand. Painted by famous American pin-up artist, Al Moore, her cheeky grin and tiger suit would become iconic for the Belgian cigarette packaging.

Now for the sad part: in 1979 Angelina was found murdered in her home. A noose was tied around her neck and made to look like suicide, it was later revealed to be murder (perhaps it was the pool of blood she was found laying in). The murder was never solved. All we have left of Angelina is her beautiful face on a pack of cool smokes.